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An Homage to Culture With A Cinematic Flow: The Baku Flame Towers In Azerbaijan
If there has ever been a country defined by wealth and power, in both positive and challenging ways, it is Azerbaijan. Though independent now, the country has been occupied by multiple conquering hordes: those of Cyrus The Great, Alexander The Great, the Seljuks, the Mongols, the Persians, the Russians, the Ottomans and the Soviets. But since 1991, Azerbaijan is free, and exceptionally wealthy due to their vast oil and gas reserves. The country is on the western tip of the Caspian Sea, and is literally at the crossroads between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, as it borders Russia to the North; Georgia and Armenia to the West and Iran to…
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Modern Architecture: Impressive Buildings That Challenge Gravity
If there is one condition of modern architecture, it’s that the construction must prevail standing. Yet some architects push the limits, obviously challenging with Newton’s universal law of gravity, to design structures that not only seem to defy reasoning but are excellent at that. From a cantilevered shed created by the Dutch-based firm MVRD to an impressively accumulated construction in Hanover, by the Stuttgart-based firm Behnisch Architekten, these modern architecture buildings seem impracticable to conceive, let alone produce. Of course, all of these architectural constructions passed stringent zoning laws before they were built. Here are some examples of impressively designed structures: Building: Museum of Tomorrow Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Architect: Santiago Calatrava…
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Local Artisans Hired to Renovate Edinburgh’s Great Railway Hotel Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian
Lulu Group’s Twenty14 Holdings (the same group the recently bought Great Scotland Yard) announced its £85 million acquisition of Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – The Caledonian. As part of their commitment to preserve the history and grandeur of the hotel, as well as adding value to the community, Twenty14 Holdings will create new jobs in the UK by hiring local artisans to renovate the hotel’s Historical Caledonian Suites, expand the already illustrious food and beverages offering and extend the reach of the hotel to include an additional 50 keys. Built directly above the Princes Street Station building, The Caledonian has played host to well-known faces from around the world including film stars,…
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The Wonder of Under: Snøhetta’s First Underwater Restaurant in Europe
At the southernmost point of the Norwegian coastline by the village of Båly, in the Lindesness area, Snøhetta, a world renowned architecture group, has designed Europe’s very first underwater restaurant, called UNDER. There are underwater restaurants in other areas of the world, but Under will be Europe’s first. With its immediate proximity to the ocean’s underwater world, the restaurant will also function as a research center for marine life. It is an architectural tribute to the Norwegian coast – and to its colourful, various undersea life. Under will open in early 2018. Under’s namesake holds a double meaning in Norwegian: ‘under’ can also be translated as ‘wonder.’ Half-sunken into the…
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A Rich Heritage Reborn in a New Light: Le Mount Stephen A Jewel of a Luxury Hotel in Montreal
Classified as an historic monument, the George Stephen House, erected in 1880 by an ultra-wealthy railway pioneer in Canada, George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen, is the affluent residence that subsequently housed the prestigious private Mount Stephen Club for nearly a century. Just in time for the 375th anniversary of Montreal, a gem of Montreal’s urban heritage is reborn today in all its splendour. It opens its doors to the world as a very special mansion hotel, Le Mount Stephen. Owned by the Tidan Hospitality & Real Estate Group, 1440 rue Drummond has been the object of an investment of more than $20 million to confer a brand-new vocation on…
Ode to Luxury and The Art of Life
